


No Need to Ask

by slightlytookish



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-14
Updated: 2011-10-14
Packaged: 2017-10-24 14:53:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/264742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightlytookish/pseuds/slightlytookish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When no amount of gentle coaxing, outrageous flirting, or intentionally eye roll-worthy innuendo convinces Merlin to get in the bath Gwaine takes matters into his own hands - literally - and yanks Merlin's shirt over his head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Need to Ask

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place immediately after episode 3x13.

When no amount of gentle coaxing, outrageous flirting, or intentionally eye roll-worthy innuendo convinces Merlin to get in the bath Gwaine takes matters into his own hands - literally - and yanks Merlin's shirt over his head.

"Hey!" Merlin says, nearly knocking over the bath as he tries to scramble away. "That's cheating!"

"Desperate times, my friend," Gwaine replies before reaching for his trouser laces.

Gwaine has always been rather good at undressing (himself or someone else), and in no time at all he has Merlin settled in the bath, all knobby knees and sharp elbows and dark looks.

"See," he says, crouching beside him. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Merlin folds his arms and glares. "I can take care of myself."

"Right, because you've done such a good job of it lately," Gwaine says cheerfully. Merlin glances away, looking abashed. "Now budge up and let me have a look at your back."

Merlin makes a show of rolling his eyes and insisting he's fine, but when he finally shuffles forward with a slosh of water the first sight of his bruises makes Gwaine hiss in sympathy; the second makes him want to find whoever did this to Merlin and throttle them.

Merlin looks as if he'd been flung against a wall with tremendous force and dragged around a bit for good measure. Quite a lot of skin is bruised and scraped, much more than Gwaine anticipated from the brief glimpse he had as he removed Merlin's shirt, and the marks stand out angrily against the paleness of his back and shoulders.

Gwaine can't stop himself from running his fingertips across them, lightly tracing the edges of the bruises, but when Merlin shudders he quickly snatches his hand away. "Sorry," he says, though he really wants to say, _Sorry I wasn't there to protect you_.

Merlin shrugs, wincing a little as the movement jars his injuries. "I've had worse," he says, and when Gwaine's eyes land on what could only be a scar from a serket's sting he thinks, _Yes, you certainly have_.

He sits back on his heels and sighs. "What am I going to do with you?"

Merlin gives him a look that is far too innocent, which in Gwaine's extensive experience almost always means the exact opposite. "You mean you don't usually tear off people's clothes and throw them in to baths?"

"Hush, you," Gwaine says, trying to hide his smile behind a splash of water that makes Merlin yelp and duck his head. "It was for your own good and you know it."

Merlin pushes his wet hair away from his forehead and slides down until the water is lapping at his chin. He gives Gwaine a considering look, and Gwaine tenses a little, expecting Merlin to splash him back in revenge. But Merlin only grins and says, "You're just not used to people refusing to take off their clothes for you."

It takes a moment for his mind to catch up with his words, but when it does two bright spots of colour form high on Merlin's cheekbones and he bites his lip, looking wretched. "Um. Not that I thought - I mean, we-"

"You'd be surprised," Gwaine says, feeling thoroughly amused. And then, because he can never keep his mouth shut around Merlin he has to go and add, "Though I haven't had much practice lately."

Merlin gives him a strange look. Gwaine can't quite read it - he thinks he sees confusion there, and surprise, and something that might be hope but he pushes that notion aside, certain that he's imagining things.

At any rate the look vanishes quickly enough and is replaced by normal (and distressingly friendly-looking) curiosity. "Why?"

Gwaine feels his face growing warm and tries to convince himself that it's just because of the steam rising from the bath. He thinks about how he might reply - he could say that he's been too busy getting banished from Camelot and racking up gambling debts and going on jaunts to the Perilous Lands and being captured by slave traders and getting knighted, of all things, to make time for anyone else.

It's all true, but it's also a lie, because he always managed to find time for Merlin... and that's the answer, isn't it? Besides, he's always made it a point never to lie to Merlin and he isn't about to start now.

So he tries to smile, knowing it probably looks more like a pained grimace, and gives an awkward little shrug. "Do you really need to ask?"

Merlin smiles then, brighter than Gwaine has ever seen, and suddenly it's so easy to read his expression as it turns soft and happy and affectionate. It makes Gwaine feel reassured, and he feels even better when Merlin sits up and reaches out with one damp hand to gently stroke his jaw.

"I just wanted to be certain," Merlin says, before pulling Gwaine into a kiss.


End file.
